The Sun. — London, England, 1826-03-18 00:00:00

into effeet in a manner the most advantageous to the country- He would not, indeed, eulogise his own opinion that fees, wider due regulations, were, m many cases, a better mode of remunerating some of the lower and least important classes of public servants than salaries. Such, however, had not been the opinion of the House, such more especially had not been the opinion of the Hon. Gentleman, and he confessed he thought it a little hard that the Hon. Gentleman should now turn round and condemn, in no measured terms,anaugmentation of charge, incidental to and inseparable from the system, which he had strenuously and successfully urged the . House to adopt. He could say, that ever since he came into office, his time had been 'emidoved in searching, he might say, all over the world, to discover what was the just measure of compensation to be af forded in every separate instance, for the iosa of the emoluments formerly derived from tees. was a painful duty. thus to be engaged in conflict with the private Interests of individuals. _However pleasant it might be to make reductions in the gross, it was by no means a pleasant task to apply those reductions to the incomes of individuals; in the former case it was to shoot into a crowd, but it was a very different thing to those who had to select the victims, and entry the general sentence into un spanng execution upon individuals. The addition to the pub hc charge for the salaries of Consuls, hail been produced by proportionate ditninution of the charges upon trade,— The returns of the amount of consular charges upon trade, gave the sum of 01,1501., the real amount was certainly more, probably not less than 70.0001" It was the non. Gentleman's -system, and not his, that this charge should be taken from trade and put upon the Oldie. lie must beg to be excused from delendiug_the principle, he must leave that to the author of the system, but it was certainly rather hard, that he should I fall upon the charge necessarily emanating from his own sys tem, as an unexpected and enormous charge..--(ilear, hear, hear 1).---But this was not all, he had thought it his duty last year, to apply to the Turkey Company, for the pur pose of throwing open to the public the trade With the Le vant. This application had been successful, and in conse . &ponce of that arrangement, the agents formerly paid by the Company were now paid by the public, this circumstance alone accounted' for an increased charge to a considerable amount. The charges from which trade had been relied in other places amounted to 80,000!. .The payment formerly made by the Levant Company to 11,000!., the whole relief to trade, therefore, was 61,0004 The addition to the public charge was, however, no' more titan 411,0001. The House having chore to put itself in the place of die private mere) ant, he hail a right so to compare these mounts. Ile had endea voured to execute to the best of his power, not his own pur pose, hut that of the Hon. Gentleman, and he had also effected a saving of 12,000/. With respect to the other estimates at which the Hon. Gentleman had alluded, which had indeed al ready passed, he meant those foe South'America, he was enden venting to get them into shape as fast as possible. He had found considerable difficulty in determining the proper standard by which to regulate the allowances of our residents in these States. It was obvious that no measure could be obtained for properly estimating this from the allowances in Europe. lie had endeavoured to procure the best returns from the different States of South America, with respect to every particular ne cessary to guide his judgment. There must of course be some difficulty in forming an accurate calculation of the necessary expenses of living in countries where the prices of articles bore no relation to those we were accustomed to in Europe; where, for instance, said the Right Honourable Gentleman, " you can buy a horse for five shillings, and it will cost you two guineas to get him shod." Ile had only one precedent to which he could refer as a guide, that of the Court of Brazil ; and he had availed hitt:raid it astir as it would apply. With • respect to the European Illistdons, he had followed the report of the Committee of 1016, excepting that he had reduced the -charge further than the Committee had recommended. But he Gault! not consent to carry the principle the on. Gentleman li had laid down, so far as to wit hdraw, our missions from the minor Courts, because those Courts were insignificant, or rather not immediately powerful. That such a measure should be re commended by the lion. Member, surprised him beyond all imaginable expression of surprise. He thought the policy "of this country had always been to foster and protect the smaller states, and above all to do all we could to maintain in them a sense of national dignity and independence. It was ime possible to foresee the changes which might occur, or the importance to which con-ingencies now the most unexpected ntight, at seine future day, elevate even the least considera btu of these States. It was impossible for him to point out .the time, or to anticipate which of these States might be the first, to raise high their height Which circumstances had laid low, but it was not difficult to foresee that in the future struggles 44 Europe they were some of them at least destined to bear no unimportant part. lie would now endeavour to follow the .Dion. Gentleman front generals to particulars. The lion. Lien . dentin apprehended that the expense of the French Embassy would at last go to the tietiotentof iio,oool. This apprehension it would be in vain for him to attempt to remove, ut the same time the item which had mote particularly attracted the attention of the Hon. Gentleman was one which he must cee.fess demanded explanation. Ile would give a short history of the transaction. .In 1814, it was thought expedient to purchase a house for the Embassy at Pale. This was 12 years since, and no expellee had till, now been incurred for repairs, : ;Repairs having at length become necessary, Mr. Smirke and 8 1r. NVyatt had been succes.. sively ,sent to Paris in order to survey and present an extimute of the expense of repairing the house, and with directions also to report as to the probability of procuring any other house suitable for the residence of the Ambassador. The report, of Plr. Wyatt, to his utter astonishment anti dismay, presented hap with an estimate of the expense at' repairing the house and ,renewing the furniture, which amounted to 23,000/. Upon that he had decided at once that the house should be sold, provided it would produce a sum the interest of which added to 1,0001. per annum, the amount deducted on account of house rent from the annual salary of the Ambassador, would be sufficient to pro cure another suitable residence. The report received in answer to their inquiries upon this subject was discouraging. It itp _peered that houses or the description prop e r . f o r th e residence of , our Ambassador had considerably diminished. From the rent paid for another hotel by Lord Granville during the repair of his own residence, and from that paid by the Duke of North. . umberlanti during his stay in Paris at the period of' the Corona tion, the fact was sufficiently verified that a suitable house could not be hired without a very serious annual charge.— There were, besides, objections to giving up the Hotel of the Embassy. It might have done very well if' they had never had is house; but they did receive from :ill parties who took any in. terost in die dignity and importance of' the English Embassy, remonstrances upon the impropriety duelling the house; they were told that sale would do much mischief, that it would create the idea of the connection between the two Courts having become home, and that the consequences might be most un pleasant. This certainly: would not alone have determined their . conduct, but judging from what Lord Granville bad been obliged to pay during the time the hotel was under repair, and from what the Duke of Northumberland also had been corn. pelted to pay, and considering also that only one other nation possesaed an hotel for its Ambabeador, they bad been convinced , that no saving could he effected by getting rid of the house, but abat e on tho contrary, it must have led to su c h a c h arge as would have struck the Honourable Gentleman with still greater sArprlse than he hail now exhibited. It would have been impowilble not to compensate the Ambassador for the addi tional expellee, the it would otherwise have swept away more than one third, and nearer ono half of his salary. They had therefore determined to repair the House, and although they considerably reduced the estimate of 111 r. Wyatt, they found that they could not have the house properly repaired, like an English house, so that every door should shut and every window open, at a smaller expellee than 12,0001. This was the aunt which appeared in the present estimates. There was besides, he thought, some force m the argument that the Bri , deb Embassy should have an established residence. It was e--.true that no nation required less than England the aid of ad ventitious importance, but in every country, and certainly in France more then in England, the external appendages of dig .nity bed mottle degree of importance, The only nation besides this which .htal a hotel for its embassy was Russia, and it was, perhaps, not altogether unimportant that the Ambassador of England should hold his heed us high es the Russian Ambaesae , dor. Upon theeevariousconsideratione they had determined upon the expediency of incurring the expenses of repairing, rather I than resorting to the oilier alternative, that of Belling the house. I With respect to the salary of the Ambaesor, if it would effort any tatistaction to the Hon. :limber, hetould assure him, that the sal a ry, with the addition of half as much more fur his pri., vats fortune, was not equal to his expenses. He had thus shewn, i n t h e i nstance of eateeiyagance selected by the Hon. Member, that the charge was not greater than could be fully justified. There was another circumstance which had contributed to swell the amount of the present estimate. He alluded to the spe c i a l 4 Eanb. 44 3r to the ging of' fiance on the occasion of hist eurona den. The Noble Duke, who had been appointed to that. rap. I sassy, had expressly stipulated that be should be permitted to ftionay the whole of the expense out of his own funds. This P4tipU. w a tt not Of course rejected, but he should have been i a „a wne d if, having accepted it literally, they had p er mi tte d i t to be lilt rally fulfilled. The Ineallllll hit upon was that of present i og to the Duke of . Northumberland, in the name P art of to equipment, which might de of ble Sqvereign, geond to hiu,posterity AA a inemorttel. of t, thedistinghishedser vice in arilieb he had been employ e d . d had accordinglybeen 4,, ter • to p r oot him with a diatom) hilted sword, of the value oflo_,ooo/. Although it was highlY l2echating on the part . •of the Noble Duke to make the splen d id otter he had matte, to to ~highly becoming on the part of tiloyernment not to reject it, to mark the sense Yet he - thought it was.equallY bec""g rained of intt ,xalted liberality by some valuable amhenduring „u m,. H ear , h ear would again, before he sat 'ifereg s to the Comisolate Establishment, it was no child 110 contended that he had a right, a perfect right, to calculate the whole amount of fees and distribute it in due proportions amongst the Consuls. This, however, he had not done. Mr. BERNAL thought the Consuls-General were in man, instances unnecessary. He thought 10501. for a gold snuff box for the Danish Minister, and 10001. to the Russian Chan cery, required explanation. Mr. Secretary CANNING did not very widely differ from the lion. Gentleman with respect to, ConsUls-General. He had in fact recently abolished three of these Consulships. In coun tries, however, where there were a great many Consuls at dif ferent points,-the central office of a Consul-General appeared to be necessary. For instance at Paris, if there were no Consul- General, it would follow that the Ambassador would fre quently be embarrassed by matters of detail with which he ought to have nothing to do, unless when they ripened into such importance as to become a subject worthy of national attention. The presents to which the Honourable Meniberiulverted had been made in pursuance of the practice of civilized Europe for centuries. The amount of such presents would, of coarse, be in proportion to the number of diplomatic 1 transactions. In his former address to the House he had, he found, underrated the proportion of the whole expenses which Dord Granville sustained out of his private fortune. His ex -1 peaces, he could now state, were to double the amount of his salary. Mr. BARING said, that he had been one of those who had complained of the exorbitant amount of Consular fees. His object hail' been to obtain a regulation, rather than a total abo lition of fees. The Consuls formerly had the power in ninny cases of extorting whatever fees they thought proper. The Consular system which he should prefer would be to have Consuls of a mixed character. Formerly when he was in the habit of going much abroad, the most respectable merchants generally had the. appointments of Consuls. The present al lowances to Considering that they were prohibited front em barking in any mercantile pursuit, was scarcely sufficient to enable them to mix in the society of the higher class of iner. chants. 31r. Secretary CANNING replied that the Act of Parlia ment was 'perhaps susceptible of improvement. Government was compelled to adopt one general rule—trade or no trade— with respect to Consuls. lie did not apprehend any dangi r from established merchants performing the duties of Consuls, but there might be mischief in persons going out as Consuls, and afterwards becomin g merehants. From the very circum- . stance of their being Consuls, they would be subject to invite dons to enter upon mercantile speculations. The Hon. Gen tleman and himself were very nearly agreed upon the general principle. lie had continued some merchants as Consus, but in these circumstances the merchant had been the original, the Consul the accidental character. 'Mr. SYKES said that he also had objected to fees principally on the ground of their exorbitaney. He complained of the number of Consuls ip difrezent countries being disproportionate to the magnitude and importance of our mercantile transactions with them. In solbe countries he considered the number ex cessive, whilst in other countries, and particularly in the North of Europe, the number was too small—we hid only two in Sweden, one in Norway, and one in Denmark. Mr. ELLICE agreed in the view taken by the Right Hon. Gentleman. • It would be impossible to find two more compe • tent and intelligent persons than those he had named. hlr. lIITAIE said, he had heard no one express a doubt as to the propriety of the principles upon which the Right Hon. Gentleman had acted. He did not, however, assent •to the ratio upon which the Right lion. Gentleman had fixed the Consular salaries. Ile begged to ask how the Vice Consuls were to be regulated. Mr. Secretary CANNING said, that the Vice Consuls were liable to the general regulations. Mr. lIUME again said that the salaries ought to be reduced. He complained that the general expellee of Ambassadors had been continually in c reasing, and contended that it ought to be reduced. He, understood that there was no establishment in London kept up in auch'a' Style as that of the Ambassador at Paris. A 1lES1111.31—" Vely well." • Mr. HUMS--" Very well! but I say it is not very well. I say laugh.)—H, was very tine to give enter. tainments to 2000 people in one night, and he had no objection to it if the Ambassador did it at his own expence. It was not hospitality....it was extravagance and waste; and he protested against it from the bottom of his heart. Ile expected that the fhrther sum of 70,0001. would be added to the amount of the Estimate. A.r. HERMES said that the sum was included in the Esti. mate, and formed the unexpected charges which could not be estimated last year. 11 r. U (JAIL said there was no account of the particulars, and wished to know whether they should hare them next year. Mr. HERMES said that the lion. Gentleman could have them to-morrow if he liked. • Mr. HUME said there was ono stun of 7,000/. and some smaller sums for the payment of fees. He wished to know to whom these fees were paid. Mr. HERR lES said they were fees payable by law to offi. cera of the Treasury and Exchequer. Mr. HUME said that a Secretary of Legation or Embaisy could not he appointed without a large fee being paid to these offieers, lie thought this too bad. Mr. BERRIES mitt that ninny public officers were paid for important dvties by these fees. It at some future time those fees might, in the opinion of the House, he abolished and sa laries substituted, the change could be effected. Mr. HUME said he should move for returns of these fees. Mr. HERRI ES—" You have. them already."—(A laugh.) Mr. HUM E then put various questions relative to the oaths of Ambassadors, the appointment of a Consul at Algiers, and the expence of plate and a c a n o py o f state f or t h e E m b assy at Aludrid. He protested against silver boxes being given to the Governors of such places as Sierra Leone, Antigua, and Domi. nice, and to the great Seal, upon new appointments. He also complained of the item of charges for the Life Guards, on account of the extravagant frippery of their dress. Nothing mild be more painful to a man of feeling than to see the gaudy and expensive frippery in which the band of the Guards were dressed when they assembled before the King's Palace, surrounded by thousands of squalid, starving people, who had to pay for these gewgaws. The expence of these kettle drums and trumpets was enormous. He understood that a trumpeter's jacket cost upwards of 701. lie nex t c o m pl a i ne d o f t h e esta blishment at Berbice for supporting slaves, which had came into the, hands of Goverment, and which cost the country nearly 4,000/. a year, there being only about 300 Negroes. Ile Wished to know whether any arrangement was to be made tOr ridding the country of this expence. (These questions were each put as the Chairman was is the act of reading the vote, and each received a matter of. course answer.) Mr. CROKE Ilobserved with regard to the silver boxes, that they cost about 41. each, and the only way to effect a saving upon that item would be to have them made of brass or tin.— The lion. Secretary also stated,, that the dresses of which the lion. Member complained' as being unworthy the English cha racter, were at least as old as the time of Henry VIII. Mr. BLAIR considered that it would be highly improper and inexpedient to send the slaves adrift who had been protect ed at the establishment to which the Hon. Member bad alluded. - Under proper management, lie thought the establishment might support itself. r. lit: RAMS said, that there had been a report made upon the subject, and that another was expected. NI lien the sec ind report was made, it would be decided what course should be pursued. • Mr. HUM E said, that if properly managed, he had no doubt of the establishment being able to maintain itself. But every thing, the Government touched, was sure to go wrong --(A latigh.)—Expencc and extravagance followed thew wherever they Went; and what could be dune by others, never succeed edwith them : -4A laugh. ) The (.:HA NCELI,Oit of the EXCHEQUER said,that this Institution had been thrown upon. the hands of the Treasury by a very respectable individual, who seemed to think the Govern ment the only persons who could manage it.. At all events, he c o u ld say, that feW .thin • s would give him more pleasure th an to get rid of it to any body who cold manage it better; but he feared that it was unmanageable by any body. Mr. 11U311: risked why the Government did not emancipate the slaves, and get rid of it in that way. They were willing to make thesexpet intent of emancipatitm upon the slaves who were the property of individuals, but not upon their own. Mr. 1314 A l IL protested against the course recommended by the Hon. Member., - . Mr. II U.II E said that whether .they were emancipated or not, they ought not to be kept at the expence of the people of this country. Let them be hired out—there were plenty of people in the colony who were ready to hire them. If these slaves could not maintain themselves, let them starve. . Mr. 1i Ell it IES repeated that the Government were waiting for the second report before they made any arrangement. Mr. MIME wished to know whether any good was effected by the expenditure of the sum for sending a mission to the In terior of Africa Mr. W. HORTON made an observation in the affirmative. Alr. HUM E said that in the sum for the purchase of a na tional gallery of Paintings, he saw but one Item of 3,000 gui neas fora Holy Family by Corregio. This was a large sum, and he wished to know under what regulations the expenditure of the public money on this account was placed. Sit C. LONG said he recollected distinctly that when this vote was proposed last year it had the support of the lion. Member, who said that the want of a national gallery was a 'disgrace to the country. Other Hon. Gentlemen on the same side of the House urged the Government to purchase whole collections at the time when Mr. Angeratein's Gallery had just been bought. He then thought it would be better not to eel lect,indiscritninately in that manner, but to select the best plc- WO that could be found. The expenditure of the foods was intrusted to persons who mere considerod competent to their management, and judges . of the works of art proper to be placed. in such a collection. They were, Lord Aberdeen, Sir 0. Cock burn. Sir T. Lawrence—he himself had the honour to be one —and a Gentleman extremely competent to judge. of the cha racter and value of any Picture which might be offered—he meant Mr. Se„our. . Lord J. RUSSELL expressed an opinion that if the Gal lery were intended to improve the arts of the country, it would be better to have pictures in every school, and evetry style, so as to slim the student what had been the progresi"of art: Sir C. LONG said. that such a collection as that recom mended by the Noble Lord might be curious, but he could not think it was what a National Gallery should he. Mr. H UM B said that two men, who were considered equally good judges, might value a picture—the one at 1,000 guineas and the other at a farthing. 'There was a charge for a mail bOat at Bahama, which he considered to be out of place in these Estimates. Mr. W. lIORTON said, that wherever the item might he placed it was necessary. Mr. HUME next adverted to a charge of 550/. to be. paid to a gentleman engaged in making out tables of the progress of public annuities. Ile wished to know when these tables were expected to be ready. Mr. HERRIES said, that the subject was one of great diffi culty, bu:. he hoped that it would shortly be completed. Mr. CROKER and a Member whose name we could not hear, bore testimony to the diligence and talent of the gentle man in question. Mr. HUME said there was an item of 2,000/. for sending over the ensigns of the G a rt e r t o Ki ng .John VI. of Portugal. He thought it shameful that such a aunt should be expended upon services performed by their own ships. Mr. HERMES said, that certain fees were payable to offi leers employed upon such service by long established usage. Mr. II L I 3IE wished to know what was the meaning of the I charge for reimbursemeht of fees to the Bishops sent to the %Vest Indies. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that these were fees payable in the first instance by persons taking certain offices, in the same way 85 upon the passing of Patents. The fees were taken out of the first year's salary. He himself had paid five or six hundred pounds. It was considered that these Prelates, being appointed to situations which bad not existed before, and being sent to an unhealthy climate where no enjoyment could be expected but that arising from a discharge of their duties, they should be reimbursed for th e f ees sop s yable. Mr. H wished to see such fees abolished altogether. Mr. Al ()NCI( did. not complain of t h e f ees being repaid, but 'that they should be paid at all out of the pockets of the people. Sir .1. NEWPORT thought it high time that all fees should be abolished, but particularly those payable to the Lord Chan cellor, and the High Officers of State. Mr, rftillE said, there were charges in the Estimate for the ' issue of Seals to two of the Colonies. If these islands wanted seals, he thought they ought to pay for them. Mk. BERRIES said, it had been the established custom to supply them. Lord J. RUSSELL said, that of one item they were told it must be paid because it had arisen out of a new state of things, and of another, because it was conformable to established usage. Now if they were to pay for the new things which arose by the changes of time, lie thought they ought to get rid of old charges which from the same causes became useless. Mr. BERRIES observed that these seals were necessary, and it had been the practice to supply them free of expenee. Mr. HUME thought 400/. a large stun for an Index of the Irish Acts of Parliament passed in the last Session. Mr. GOUI‘BURN said, that the work was of great utility, and by no means of easy construction. After a few words upon this subject from a Alember, Mr. BUTTERWOR,TII, Sir .I. NEwronT and Mr. H zit HIES, HUM E said lie was astonished to sec charges for the affairs of the East India Company, when he understood that the accounts between them and the Government were settled last year. Mr. II ERRIES said that an account of so large a nature re quired &He to be wound up. Mr. Secretary CANNING having been connected with the Board of Controul, recollected how some of this eXpence was incurred. The Government had found it convenient to remove the India Board from Whitehall, where they had to pay no taxes. The house to which they removed was in the parish of St. Mar tin's, and had not a similar exemption. The Govermnent ac cordingly agreed to hear that expence. After a few words front Mr. Hu ME ' Mr..CItOKEn, and Mr. HE antra, the vote was then agreed to. The next was for a Sum of 15,0001.. for the Consular Esta blishments. . . • Mr. HUME asked .why Mr. Wiselitt&been put ou a retired pension.' • allr..Secretary CANNING said, that he found Mr. Wise's office useless,' and lie abolished it. By inducing Mr. Wise to retire upon an allowance, a considerable expence was saved to the country. It was against Mi. 'Wise's interest and his wish tl.retire; and the Hon. tientleman_could not suppose that pub. lie officers were to be dismissed without competent provision. Mr. HUME did not wish Mr. Wise to have been dismissed, .but he wished to know why ho had not been transferred to some other situation, for which he was capable. No pensions ought to he granted to persons capable. of service. ..Lord J. RUSSELL thouglit•the Gevernment should have a certain discretion in appointmentm;4if this nature. Mr. Secretary CANNING said, that if the lion. Gentleman meant that so long as there was a vacancy in the world they were not to put a man on a retired allowance, he could only say, that if the discretion of the executive was to be limited to that, he would not exercise it fur balfan hour.—(Hear !) Mr. HUME repeated what he had before said upon tbe.sub. ject ' The vote was then agreed to. Mr. GOULBURN said, that before he put any vote of the Irish Estimates into the handset' the Chairman, he would state, that as particular circumstances connected wi t h th e d ay k ept n Lle e t li e k n el y away, ot lie should only propo se suc h votes as would create opposition. If th e vo t es were not tany( not len b gut through before the holidays, inconvenience might probably arise . Along conversation between Sir J. NEWPORT, 31r. 0 TAN, Mr: Huss, Mr. 00111.11l1w 1 r, and Mr. CANNING en. Kurd, which terminated in the postponement of the Irish Esti. mates to Monday next, and on an understanding that the items objected to (namely, those respecting Education and the Linen Board patronage) should be postponed tier consideration to a future period, and their discussion deferred until the motion for the Speaker's leaving the Chair, on the motion forgoing into u Committee of Supply on n future day. COLONIAL ESTIMATES. Mr. W. HORTON in moving the Miscellaneous Estimates for the - Colonies, said he anticipated no objection of a s er i ous nature to the items from a ny i n di v id ua l in that House. A de. crease of 16,000!. had taken place since last year In the Colonial Estimates, and lie believed still, great reduction would take place in consequence of transition from a state of war to that of peace. As to Newfoundland there was Scarcely anti charge upon This country, as the revenue was nearly equal to the estimates. That for New Smith Wales was only half of that which it had been last year, and he had no doubt that C country would soon be in a condition to suppo r t i ts own c h arges. some of the most Important ItClllSof charge would thebe project of uniti ng the C ivil and the Upper and L ower C anada, Religious c t ot of i E b , e t :t er , s b ) r i c l e e tin of n i t s and to this object in puticular he could anticipate no possible objection. After a few words from Mr. Host?, the Right Hon:Gentle. MO Moved a Resolution, that dip sum of 20,0001. should be voted the Civil ant' Military Servic: of New Brunswick. For Prince Edward's Island • £ 2,000 For Newibundland . • • • • 11,135 For Nova Scotia . . . • • • . • 11133 For New South ‘Vales . . • • • • 20,942 For Sierra Leone . . • • • 15,460 For the African Ports . • • • • 45,042 For Expences defrayed fo r merly out of the Aisny . E r . traordinaries . , . • • • • 2,442 For the Charges for Stores in New South Wales • 49,363 The House resumed and the Report was ordered to be re ceived on Monday next. EAST INDIA WRITERS BILL. Mr. C. W. %VVNN moved that the East India Company's Writers Bill,should be rend a first time, which was agreed to, and the Bill ordered to b e rea d a sec ond,time on l' and next. A LE-1101 ISE LICENSES. The 11111 for the alteration and also the improvement of Ale. house Licenses was rend a first tune, and ordered to be read a second time upon the Int of April. IRISH MANOR COURTS. Mr. Secretary UOULDURN gave notice that on Monday next, he should move for leave to bring in u Bill for regulating Manor Courts in Ireland; The flight. Hon i . llB 4l l, : i mi l TE T s i t s A l l4 4 a T ls E o B. }cave notice that he should bring forward the Irish Estimates in a Committee of Supply on Monday next. MILITIA CLOT II ING. Mr. Hunt moved fora Return of the amount of the Cloth ing for all the Militia Regiments in Great Britain.—Ordered. - -- SLAVES REDEEMED. Mr. MIRE bita moved for an. Account of the Expendi. ture and Application of the sum of 40,0001. allotted for the ransom of negro slaves in 1826, and of 12,000/. for the same purpose in 1020.....0rdered. The other Orders of the Day were then agreed to, and the House adjourned at a Quarter to ELEVEN O'CLOCK. BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF ST. PATRICK. Yesterday the forty-third Anniversary of this Society was celebrated at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen stcet. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cr.AnENc!:.presid eilNati appeared throughout thb evening nd he a 4 2nd spirits—pticlfreas‘ed with his comp i hny, whixw no less de.' lighted with their illustrious Waltman. S 'fhe greateit hilarity and good feeling characterized the social hour, in which honest John Bull clasped the hand of his convivial brother Pat—the harmony of fraternal union was undisturbed by a single dis cordant tone. When the cloth was removed, a solemn Benedictus was sung with great ability by ,Messrs. Goulden, Fitzwilliom, Atkins, Pyne, Broadhurst, Taylor, Bailey, and \kiwis, the profes sional Gentlemen who attended. Mr. llawes presided at the Piano Forte. His Royal Highness in rising to . propose the health of the King anticipated the delight with -which the toast would be received by Irishmen.—(Loud cheers.)—The Society, he said, dated its existence front the year 17d1, and since that period, his Majesty had been it s stea dy, -f r i en d, w h et h er as Prince or Wales, Prince Regent, or King of Great Britain up to the present hour. He had contributed to its funds no less a-sum than 3,255/., and within the preceding three hours, his Royal Highness had received an additional contribution from his Ma jesty of 103/. for the benefit of the Charity.—(Reiterated Ap plause.)—The health of the King was then drank with raptu rous enthusiasm, four dines four. Lord Dant‘LLY highly eulogised the Illustrious individual who occupied the Chair ; and after dilating at some length upon the merits which endeared him to every Irish heart, he pro posed the health of the Earl of Munster. This toast was received with the same burst-of feeling, which followed the announcement of the preceding one. His ROYAL ronxEss returned thanks. He had great pleasure, he said, in filling the Chair at a meeting of Irishmen assembled for a benevolent purpose on St. Patrick's Day. Ile cordially concurred in the sentiments expressed by his Noble Friend, and looked upon England and Ireland as one country, ; associated in the indissoluble bond of brotherly affection.— ; (Applause.)--It was peculiarly gratifying to him to content plat: the national character of the sister country. A high minded people, by thinking well of themselves, taught others to join in their feeling. In his professional career it had fallen to his lot many years since to visit Ireland, and young; as he then was—unexperien ce d as he might have been—the'hospi table reception with which he met from the amiable people on whose shores he arrived, had left an impression on his mind which no length of time could ever efface.---(Loud and conti nued cheering.) The next toast proposed by his Royal Highness was—" The Benevolent Society of St. _Patrick." Of all the charitable In stitutions in the Metropolis, without disparagement to others, he most regarded National Societies, whose objects were most important, as being directed to the education of youth, so as to secure the minds of the rising generation from debasement by inspiring a sense of national dignity. The Irish character was strongly marked by warmth of heart, and since the Union every day brought additional proof how completely it chimed with that of England„ For hospitality and for valour the Irish people were not to be surpassed ; anti in all die relations of life their conduct was such, that the more they were known the better they were liked.—(Applause.) His ROYAL HIGHNESS next announced the health of the Marquis Wellesley.—(Great applause.)—P or the last forty-nine years he had known that distinguished personage ; and during that period the best energies of his powerful mind were con stantly employed for his country's good.—(Hear, hear, hear I) —His military achievements had done high honour to the British name to India, and in that remote region he had exalted and confirmed the British power. ;Of politics his Royal High ness would not speak ; they were not assembled on that fesuve occasion to discuss such a topic.—(Applause.)—He had only to say, that he bore the most unqualified testimony to the great merits of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. • The Toast was enthusiastically drank three times three, amidst loud cheers. Mr. BLAKE returned thanks on the part of the Marquis Wellcaley. The Illustrious CHAIRMAN pretliced the announcement' of the Duke of Wellington's health, wi t h an e l oquent eu l og i um on his character. then alluded, with much effect upon the feelings of his auditory, to two period's of his (Irace's lite. On the morning of the 2d of December, 1787, when his Royal Highness arrived in Ireland, his Grace lied, for the first time, joined the 48th Regiment as ft Lieutenant, and cormnanded the guard which ,attended his. Noyal Highness. He_ was then but an humble Lieutenant, and his Royal Highness had never seen him after till he sat at the table of the late Queen Charlotte and his present Majesty as Duke of Wellington. Where, said his Royal Highness--m what country but Great Britain, could such opportunity of advancement be afforded to talent—where could merit, however conspicuous, attain so distinguished an elevation ?,—(llear, hear !) • Sir A. ILinNAhn returned think s on t h e part of his Grace the Duke of Wellington. Mr. BAINBRIDOE, the Treasurer of the Satiety, made a statement of its funds, on the -improved condition of which he was happy to congratulat e the f r i en d s o f t h e Charity. The health of the Marquis of Hastings having been drank, General Sir J. DOXI.E returned thanks, as the friend of the Noble Marquis, of whom he spoke in the most laudatory terms, relating several interesting Instances of his benevolent character. pro Lord ARNLEY, in a strain of the MOO refined panegyric, posed he health oof" Iler Royal Highness the Duchess ot . Clarence.". The toast was received with cheers, and never was a bumper quaffed with greater exultation. His Nora F. 1 - 11011NESS returned thanks. Earl IJLESSZNGTON proposed, " the health of the Bishop of Derry." The Rev. J. L. Caosuir, as a Curate of his Lordship's diocese, returned thanks. Bis Lordship, he said, took care to provide for poor Cur a t es , to w h ose grat i tude he wax well en. titled ; and he (Mr. Crosbie) had often done justice to his Lordship's venison. His Rorai. HIGHNESS appealed to the gallantry of the Irish nation, which he assured himself would receive with en thusiasm the toast which he wits about to announce in "the health of the Marchioness of Downshire." The reception of the toast fully justified the anticipation. " The health of the Commissioners of Education" having been drank, Mr. BLAKE returned thanks. In proposing " the health of the Presidents," the Royal Duke highly eulogised the character of his Noble Friend Earl Darnley. returned Ihe The Noble Earl returned thanks. then tha nhealthao brieft ie Stewards d was add d r r e a s n s k . , f ile r d w l a l s heard aEl. with great respect and attention, and repeatedly cheered. In the course of the evening the children of St. Patrick's school were introduced, and led round the room. Their ap pearance and demeanour were truly gratifying, and quite cre ditable to those in whose charge they are placed. At half -past eleven his Royal Highness retired, amidst the plaudits of the whole company, who rose with the most defe. rential respect when he quitted the Chair. SOCIETY FOR TIIE RELIEF OF DISTRESSEI) Winows.—The second anniversary meeting of this praise worthy institution was held yesterday at Willis's Rooms, St. James's, the Right Hon. the Earl of RocksavAGE in the chair, supported by several eminent persons, and a highly re spectable assembly, in which we noticed several ladies of rank. The object ot the Meeting is to relieve widows in the first month of their widowhood, by. affording pecuniary grants, obtaining respectable situations, and apprenticing and otherwise provid ing for the off s p r i ng ; a l so i n paying small debts to prevent seizure of good s , & c . 111 w id ows had been provided for during the past year. The subscriptions amounted to 3131., and the expenditure to 3201. The Meeting, after being addressed at some length, adjourned. NIURDER AT BIIOMLEY.—AII Inquest was yes= terday held at the Itose and Crown, Bromley, on the body of a poor Irish labourer, named Dennis Sullivan. The evidence was contradictory and reluctant on the part of some of th e witnesses, but enough was clearly elicited to slim, th at on Saturday night the deceased was suddenly attacked, when walking near his dwelling, at Bromley, by another Insiiiran, named Dennis Canby , who repeated hisAilows in a most b rutal manner. It further appeared, that two other Irishmen, via. Florence Carthy and Florence Bryant were in company with Denis Carthy, at the time of the outrage. The Jury brought in a verdict of" Murder" against these three men, of whom Florence and Denis Carthy are in custody, but Bryant 11AS ab smided. One of the sohlters of the 89th regiment, stated in our list Number as being engaged in an a ff ra y w i t h some countr ymen near Dover, died on Wednesday in consequent e of an injury received in the scuffle. An Inquest sat on the body yesterday morning, which was adjourned to the evening, the resultof which was not known when the post left.—(Kentish Gazette.) FRENCH PAPERS. (From the Etoile, dated Thursday, March 16.) PA It IS, MA ROI 15.—The Augsburg Gaulle gives an extract fromUnother letter from Con stantinople, ,of the 10th of February, by which we see that die conferentes between Mr. Strati , ford 6,adaiiig Emit ‘lllabrocordato ' , have *excited uneasiness among the Turks, and hope in the Greeks. No certain news has been received from the theatre of war, but every thing seemed to prove that this winter campaign had been attend ed with no favourable result for the Turks, even though the news of the advantages obtained by the Greeks should not be confirmed. Letters from Alexandria speak of a great stag nation in the trade of Egypt. The Pacha has been obliged to lake back the greater part of the cotton which he had sold, because . the .Europeao merchants were unable to pay for it. A huissier delivered yesterday, at the Ace of L'Etoile, a summons to appear on Wednesday, the 29th of March, before the Sixth Chamber of the Civil Tribunal of the First Instance, in the in the name of M. de la Fruglaye, member of Ole Chamber of Deputies, as grandson of M. 0.14 Chalolais, for having been guilty, according to him, of the crime of defamation and insult to• wards the Sieur de la Chalolais. (Front the Constitntionnel.) PARIS, MARCH 14.—" On the news of the dangers with which the Egyptians, conducted by Officers who still dare to call themselves Frenchtnen, threaten the heroic Alissolonghi, M. Eynon!, of Geneva, who had already so ge nerously contributed personally above 50,000 francs to support the Greek cause, has written to the Greek Committee at Paris, to urge prompt supplies of provisions, which alone can preser ve the bulwark of Gre e c e . Ile has himself su b scribed a sum of 12,000 francs, and has eng a g ed to collect all equal sum among his friends. • The Greek Committ ee a t Paris, not to be be hind in generosity, h a s i mme diately voted the sum of 60,000 francs, which will serve to pur• chase biscuit and other provisions to be sent ha' mediately to Missoloughi. At the same time that the " Committee so promptly fulfilled the wishes of the numerous subscribers, it received a new mark of confidence from the Committee St Amsterdam, which has sent it 30,000 franCS to distribute. But public opinion has declared itse.f 7n a still more striking manner. The women whor in France, have always joined iti works of u e• votedness and generosity—the women Ou ts names are at tl e head of every thing great, noble, and patriotic that has been done in France, 14 . 11 ; on this occasion, shown themselves' worthy 04 what they always have been among us. We are informed, that th e mos t di st i ngu i s h e d Indies °r the capital are fo rm i ng th emse l ves i n t o societies, to second the zeal w hi c h i s man if e sted 10 A l l quarters in favour of the Greeks. The Duche sses of Broglie and Dalberg, the Marchioness of Mnr: - y , mier and Prnslin,and all the ladi e s of the capilo,i, the most diStinguished b their rank their I' 9 their b eau ty, th e i r wealth, good taste, and "Ds, have eagerly accepted the honour or „ ol letting contributions for the unfortunate Grcesse A mercantile letter from Rio Janeiro, ( 10 ": d the 9th ' January, brought to Havre by the brig Hurons/ant. cont a i ns the following paragraph " It seems ce r t a i n t h at P rance has conc l u d e d a ovm— ,l o treaty with Brazil, by virtue of which the important dada w be reduced to 15 per cent." FRENCII FUNDSTARIS, MARCH Pes' C 424 96f. 60e.—Three per Cents., 051. 20c.-133nk Stock, 25,.. Neapolitan per cents, MI 25c.—Spanisli Loan, 01 •7 1 . tian Loan, 745f. —E xc h ange Londoncone 0, 7 1 mou th, 241. v three months, 25f. 25c...-(Court dirthenal"4) _ - VIE GREEKS and the; ENGLISH NAVAL FORCE. (From the Orcc.li (, 1 / 4 roukle, of 3fissolonghl, of the 16th (2811 Janitary, i 326.) Januarylb ( 27 kL e The English corvette, w hi c b sa il e d i n to the gulf ofPatrasror day before yesterday, r e t urne d aga i n to-day, and cas t opposite Vasilatli. Capt. Abbott, the co:mu:miler, sent 1 .,"" o t timely an officer into V a sil a di, w h o sa id to the commande r the fortress, that the Captain r equeste d t he chief military Pi t ; civil authorities of lissolonghi to repair to Vasiladi, that might converse with them on affairs of great importance. In pursuance, therefore, of this invitation, the persons= were selected by common consent went to the appointed P a l; and received Captain Abbott, with unaffected joy, se,t e e gociator of affairs of great import ance . B ut w h at a able impression was made on our Envoy s ' b y C a p t . Ab" suddenly presenting them with the following letter A his " In the waters of Itlissolonghi, from on b 0 12" Britannic Majesty's corvette Rest, Jan. 'Ai• by. " Gentlemen,—The Capitan P ac h a h as requeste d hie to rorm the (;reek authorities of Missolonglii, that in the spate 4. eight days from this, all the pr e p arat i ons w ill b e rea dy to tr u , the assault to that place; but as the Capitan Pacha desires avoid the effusion'of blood which must be the consequen,f e m , the town's being taken by assault, he wishes therefore to if the garrison of :Ilissolonghi will capitulate, and in that on what conditions? " The answer giv en me by you, I will send to the C11,.7.01' Puha ; but I think it m y duty clearly to inform the G reet thorities of Alissolonglii, that I am not authorized to be guarantee of the conditions which may be entered into, ne s . ns u r it I give my opinion on th e expe di ency o f acce pting orle'" the above proposition of the Capitan Pacha. " I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, " To the Greek " Y our most obedient Servant,. actimitlea of At issolonglii." r. Our Envoys received the abo ' v ' e C le A tte ß r li w t ittillis " p i le n aT i tr e:l : lll ri, mediately returned hither, and sent the follekwinfii a nilcv the • Sir—We have the honour to reply to Captain Abbott 27th instant, in which. you lay before us the proposition istobtr, you were charged by the Capitan Paella to comipunicate for its which has: And this is our answer to that proposition , object the conclusion of a peace between `le Greeks WT. ‘t The Capitan ••• Paella is well aware that , a d suffered unheard-cf misfortunes, shed streams of bloom, seen their towns made deserts ; and fop all this nothitsig.T. eompensite, nothing can indemnify them,. but liberty_ re ti:_t i dependence. And as for the attack wish which he 14 ';;; this fortress in eight days' time, we are ready for it, and it, as we did that of Rennin(' Pacha, la,S July. TbQ &at trust, with the help of God, that we shall be able to I, 6 °'w it ;, /1 your letter of w P i a t c h lt wh is o al se si d i e a c a r - e i e re w t e lt a a r t e w b e ol l i t n a t v i e to a figii Government,and die. in T e o ol ;_ lta tjo e ; and negotiate r vernment let hint therefore address hiluielt; or war. " s i p i r e e c : ba ( v io e r tig e hon pro ou v r is t i o on s a u l b uo tC fairs of Western Greece, and for an the ' • and Civil C. ida) In the absence of the Sccretary-u,Thelloe'Cos. " N. PARADOP''''' " Missolongl i, Isth (27t11 Jan 1826. ~ T. Captain tbbott, " Commander of the English corvette Rom." „ vi vo 'pret! Not ' "D. THEME- MS. •, ... i, Note l o the Editor o:f the• Greek Chrosicle.—• ..... ?s ibs. the Austrian frigate the fiche. That,t i rn i ° 2is tl i rs on e e l ; s el afil wi i h f :n r t y l positions were nude to us . las; July by the Copits"„de of through the medium of Captain liouratovitch, con ne- t oto*. msh us, for we knew that Captain Ilouratovitch was L ip ibill But a ith what grief were we affected—a grief which llo .l. o- 40" E , glisli nation —on receiving from Capitan Abbott Pl i t. a* letter. We were overcome, and wept, on reflecting fu pinin, F • Aghshman could offer himself as an t 'agent to th e -- 0 5 1 na i s ioni Pacha, and present with his own signature such Por— the Greeks. however, difi n n.t)ustris.